Funded by the Commission, with a proposed budget of €52.5 million for the period 2007 to 2013, this new European Institute will support the EU institutions and the Member States in promoting equality between women and men and combating sex discrimination. The Institute will gather, analyse and disseminate reliable and comparable research data and information needed by policy-makers. It will have a documentation centre and a library which will be open to the public.

The Management Board of the institute consists of eighteen representatives of the EU Member States appointed by the Council and of one member representing the European Commission. An Experts' forum as further body of the institute consists of delegates designated by the Member States (28), the European Parliament (2) and the Commission (3), the latter including representatives from non-governmental, employers' and workers' organisations at EU level.